Proper lighting of walkways and bikeways is crucial for safety and visual comfort for pedestrians and cyclists. In some cases “spill” light from adjacent streets or roadways is sufficient for walkways and bikeways. If this spill light does not supply the recommended average maintained illuminance levels to allow visual identification of other pedestrians, cyclists or objects, revisions or additions to the roadway lighting will be required. This identification task is dependent largely on proper vertical surface illumination to model faces and objects.

For walkways and bikeways that pass through parks, it is recommended that the area bordering the way on each side be lighted to an illuminance level of at least one third the level suggested for the way itself. This minimizing of shadows in marginal areas makes it difficult for criminals to hide unseen.